Residents released balloons in memory of little Mikaeel. (Image: DAVID McNIE)

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HEARTBROKEN neighbours yesterday paid tribute to little Mikaeel Kular after his disappearance prompted hundreds of them to join a massive search.

A small piece of parkland around the corner from Mikaeel’s home in Edinburgh became a makeshift shrine to the three-year-old after the community woke up to the news that his body had been found.

People travelled from across the city to lay flowers and place cuddly toys, candles and written tributes to the toddler.

One neighbour said: “I’ve been told his name means ‘special angel’ in Arabic. That’s what he’ll be. He was a lovely wee boy.”

And last night, hundreds of residents were involved in an extraordinary outpouring of grief.

More than 500 people attended a balloon release in Mikaeel’s memory in West Pilton Park, where a candle-lit shrine was established.

Many brought their own specially-made silver helium balloons printed with tributes to the toddler.

Kelly Hunter, 37, one of the organisers, said: “This is just to say thanks to everyone who has been searching for the wee boy for the last two days.

“The community came together to search for him so I think it is fitting they come together to say goodbye to him.”

Hundreds of people queued to attend a memorial service at St Andrew’s Church in Muirhouse last night and an overspill hall was used to accommodate mourners. Pastoral assistant Helen Fisher told those in attendance that it was “very, very gratifying” they were there and hoped they would draw “strength and comfort” from the community togetherness.

The service was organised following an online campaign begun just 11 hours earlier, at 8am, by residents Conner Dickson and Brett Wright.

Mourners were each given a candle to light as they left the service and were urged to relight it at 7pm tonight and place it in their windows as a “sign of hope” for the community.

Residents in Edinburgh lit candles and laid tributes in memory of Mikaeel Kular. (Image: DAVID McNIE)

Mhairi Wilson, 26, who placed flowers with daughter Eilidh, two, said: “I was born and bred here and stayed here for most of my life and what has happened over the last few days has really hit us.

“Despite this, we have all been spurred on by the community spirit.

“I just wanted to come here today to pay our respects.”

Lindsay Steadwood, 32, who lives nearby, said: “It was my son Stephen’s fifth birthday yesterday as all of the searching was going on and it just brings it all home to us even more.

“He has brought one of the toys he received for his birthday here today for Mikaeel and we have said he will be able to play with it in Heaven.

“We are really upset. When I heard the news that a body had been found, a tear just rolled down my cheek.”

Erin Anderson, 17, who came to lay flowers with her boyfriend Cameron Haddow, 18, said: “We just wanted to come and pay our respects. It’s such a horrible situation – he was so young.”

The location for tributes,at the Muirhouse Millennium Park, was identified by police as a suitable spot after an earlier makeshift shrine outside Mikaeel’s flat was causing drivers problems.

The sheer number of flowers and other items meant the original spot in Ferry Gait Crescent, Drylaw, could not cope with the hundreds of tributes and, by last night, more than a thousand people had placed items at the park.

Colin Keir, MSP for the Edinburgh West constituency, was among those who came to pay their respects.

He said: “Everyone was hoping that the wee lad would be found safe and well – and what has happened has hit people quite badly.

“But I think the show of community togetherness has been unprecedented. We had hundreds from around here helping with the search – and I also spoke to a chap who had come from Glasgow.

“People are devastated but they rallied round with the searching and they are rallying round now.”

Councillor Cammy Day said: “I am absolutely gutted at events and I am quite certain the wider community will be gutted too.

“We have seen 400-plus people doing their bit, searching in the wind and the rain. I commend them all – and we are devastated with the way things have turned out.”

Neighbour Khalida Hussain, 30, who stays just 20 yards from Mikaeel’s house, said: “We last saw him out playing here about a week before Christmas.

“We have not seen him this year. We are shocked. It’s heartbreaking.”

Members of the public have been laying tributes in Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy after the body of Mikaeel Kular was found.

Another neighbour, Nicola Boulter, 25, said: “I have seen the wee boy playing here but cannot say for sure when the last time I saw him was.

“I have been interviewed by police and told them I was unable to put an exact time when I last saw him – although it would have been sometime last year. We are all shocked at what has happened.”

Lyndsay Harrison, 31, who lives in the crescent with husband Mark, 30, and their two young children, said: “We are aware of the fact that he had not been at nursery since Christmas and we had not seen him here since around that time. We are as devastated as everyone else – it’s a very sad time for the area.”

Robert Pearson, chairman of the Tenants and Residents In Muirhouse association, thanked all the search volunteers and local businesses who provided torches and food during the hunt.

He said: “Sometime it takes something like this to bring people together. I have seen older people, young people, families and teenagers all giving up their time to search the area over the past two days.

“On reflection, I and everyone at TRIM are so proud of the community we live in. Obviously, as time went on, we were all aware that the chances of a positive result were diminishing but that never stopped us.

“People continued to turn up at all times of the day and night to help and everyone who got involved should be so proud of themselves.”